Johnson v. State

584 So. 2d 881, 1991 WL 29528
Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama·Decided April 26, 1991·No. CR 89-843·Published·Cited by 20 cases

Opinion

584 So.2d 881 (1991)

Vaughn Gilbert JOHNSON, Jr.
v.
STATE.

CR 89-843.

Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama.

January 18, 1991.
On Return to Remand April 26, 1991.
Rehearing Denied June 28, 1991.

*882 Cecil Matthews, Guntersville, for appellant.

*883 Don Siegelman, Atty. Gen., and Margaret S. Childers, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

TYSON, Judge.

Vaughn Gilbert Johnson, Jr., was convicted on November 2, 1989, for the crime of murder, § 13A-6-2, Code of Alabama 1975, and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The appellant gave timely notice of appeal. The appellant's brief in this cause originally was due on June 22, 1990. Since that time, appellant's retained attorney has received one seven-day extension and three enlargements of time in which to file his brief.

Appellant is constitutionally entitled to effective assistance of counsel, which includes the filing of an appellate brief on first appeal as a matter of right. Evitts v. Lucy, 469 U.S. 387, 105 S.Ct. 830, 83 L.Ed.2d 821 (1985); Ross v. Noffett, 417 U.S. 600, 94 S.Ct. 2437, 41 L.Ed.2d 341 (1974).

Therefore, the submission of this case is hereby set aside and this cause is remanded to the circuit court for that court to determine whether appellant's retained counsel intends to continue representing the appellant and, if so, to inquire into the reason for the failure to file a brief in this court. The trial court shall take whatever remedial action is deemed necessary to ensure that an appellate brief is filed in this case, including the appointment of new and different counsel. If the trial court should determine that new appellate counsel is required, the court should ascertain whether the appellant is indigent and whether he desires appellate counsel. If so, the trial court shall appoint counsel and aid counsel in obtaining a copy of the appellate record. In this situation, the time for filing briefs shall begin to run from the date of the appointment of new counsel. Due return should be made to this court of the action taken, within 30 days from the date of this opinion.

REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.

All the Judges concur.

ON RETURN TO REMAND

Vaughn Gilbert Johnson, Jr., was indicted for the offense of murder. The jury returned a verdict of "guilty of murder." A sentencing hearing was conducted at which time the appellant was sentenced to life imprisonment, and his application for probation was denied. Pursuant to § 15-23-17 Code of Alabama 1975, the appellant was assessed a victim compensation assessment of $3,000.00 and court costs were taxed to him.

On April 8, 1989, the appellant, Johnson, picked up the victim, Rebecca Kay Salter Culbert, at her home on Star Route in Albertville, Alabama, in his automobile. They drove to a wooded area one block away from the residence and parked. Sometime during the evening Ms. Culbert either exited the car or was taken out of the car by the appellant. She was subsequently run over several times with the automobile which the appellant had driven to the spot. In addition to wounds incurred when she was run over by the vehicle, reports revealed that the victim had been struck with a blunt instrument over the head and strangled with a pair of nunchakus, a martial arts weapon. She died shortly thereafter.

I(a)

The appellant contends that the trial court committed reversible error in failing to grant his motion for a judgment of acquittal on the grounds that the indictment was fatally defective. Specifically, the appellant argues that the indictment failed to allege the means by which the murder was committed. The indictment reads as follows:

"The Grand Jury of said County charge that before the finding of this Indictment Vaughn Gilbert Johnson, Jr., whose name to the Grand Jury is otherwise unknown, did intentionally cause the death of another person Rebecca Kay Salter Culbert, by multiple blunt force injuries, in violation of § 13A-6-2 of the *884 Code of Alabama, 1975, as last amended."

(R. 609.)

This court in Harrison v. State, 384 So.2d 641, 643 (Ala.Cr.App.1980), held that:

"Pursuant to Code § 15-8-25, an indictment must state the facts constituting the offense in ordinary and concise language in such a manner as to enable a person of common understanding to know what is intended. An indictment must likewise apprise the accused not only of the nature of the offense, but also of the particular act or means by which it was committed. Chambers v. State, Ala.Cr.App., 364 So.2d 416, cert. denied, Ala., 364 So.2d 420 (1978). See also: Andrews v. State, Ala.Cr.App., 344 So.2d 533, cert. denied, Ala., 344 So.2d 538 (1977). However, an averment of the means, although one of substance and not of form, is not a constituent or essential element of the offense. The omission of such would render an indictment merely viodable rather than void. Consequently, such a deficiency must be timely and specifically raised by demurrer. Gaines v. State, 146 Ala. 16, 41 So. 865 (1906); Whitt v. State, Ala.Cr.App., 370 So.2d 730, reversed on other grounds, Ala., 370 So.2d 736 (1978); Jeter v. State, Ala.Cr.App., 339 So.2d 91, cert. denied, Ala., 339 So.2d 95 (1976)."

In this case the appellant waived arraignment and pleaded not guilty on August 29, 1989. By order at arraignment the appellant was allowed 14 days to file special pleas or motions. (R. 615.)

However, it was not until November 2, 1989, after the State had rested, that the appellant objected to the indictment as being fatally defective. Again in his motion for a new trial the appellant alleged that the indictment failed to specify the means by which the murder was committed.

According to A.R.Crim.P.Temp. 16.2(a) and 16.3, an objection to a defective indictment must be raised at or before arraignment or by a date set by the trial court. The rules read as follows:

"Rule 16.2. Objections and Defenses Which Must Be Raised by Motion
"(a) Objections and Defenses Which Must Be Raised by Pre-trial Motion. Objections based on defects in the commencement of the proceeding or in the charge, other than lack of subject matter jurisdiction or failure to charge an offense, may be raised only by pre-trial motion made in accordance with Temporary Rule 16.3.
"Rule 16.3. Time of Making Motions
"(a) Pre-trial Motions. Any motion which must under Temporary Rule 16.2 be made before trial must be made:
"(1) In circuit court at or before arraignment or by such later date as may be set by the court; ...."

Furthermore, irregularities in an indictment which do not render the indictment void are waived if not raised either before arraignment or by such later date specified by the trial court. Beals v. State, 533 So.2d 717 (Ala.Cr.App.1988); Harrison v. State, 384 So.2d 641 (Ala.Cr.App.1980); Ex parte Horton, 456 So.2d 1120, 1121-22 (Ala.1984).

By order at arraignment the appellant was given 14 days to file special pleas or motions. The appellant failed to meet this deadline.

Therefore, we find no error on the part of the trial court in denying the appellant's motions for judgment of acquittal on this ground.

(b)

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